Welcome the my adidas Crazylight 2.5 Boost review! If you liked the Crazylight Boost 2015, then this could be a good upgrade from that. James Harden’s endorsed shoe has been out for a couple of months now and it’s time to make a review.
As usual, I’ll cover the appearance, tech, performance and price aspects. Here’s a full adidas Crazylight 2.5 Boost review!
FEATURES
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BOOST cushion in the heel
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adiPrene+ cushion in the forefoot
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Primeknit and mesh upper
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TPU heel counter and TPU shank
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Available in 7+ colors
APPEARANCE
They have lots of similarities with the 2015 shoe, which in my opinion were pretty dope. Very similar material setup, similar construction and equally as light.
They have over seven colors to choose from, so variety is large. The James Harden endorsed colrway has some of his markings throughout the shoe.
THE TECH
This thing has LOTS of tech packed in it, but that doesn’t mean anything if it doesn’t play well. We’ll find that out soon.
BOOST – so we got BOOST cushioning in the heel, which works great and pretty much as expected. They could’ve made it full-length, but then it would cost way more than $125.
adiPrene+ – the rest of the cushion is adiPrene. It’s just simple foam that isn’t the most responsive, nor the bounciest.
TORSION SYSTEM – I loved that they implemented this. It’s a plastic system that adds great arch support. It’s basically a bridge between the forefoot and midfoot areas.
Primeknit – that’s what the shoes’s upper is mainly made of. I always like Primeknit for its light weight and the amount of mobility it provides. Definitely not durable, but performance-friendly.
StableFrame – another great implementation of StableFrame which enhances midfoot support.
NON-MARKING Outsole – I don’t think I have to tell you what this does.
PERFORMANCE
FIT/COMFORT
So right off the bat, go half a size down. The shoes really do feel roomy and loose, so don’t go true to size if you want maximum support and containment. The feel itself is pretty good, nothing special. There are no large amounts of padding inside, but they feel alright. Primeknit always feels great because it’s light, stretchy and breathable.
CUSHIONING
I loved how BOOST feels at the heel are. It’s definitely the highlight of the shoe, it’s extremely responsive and has bounce AND impact protection. BOOST is without a doubt the best cushion setup right know. And this is a great example.
However, the rest of the shoe doesn’t feel that way. adiPrene+ is super basic and you barely feel and bounce from that at all. Not that you need a lot of cushion in the forefoot, but it’s pretty damn stiff.
TRACTION
I had no major issues with the traction, it grips the floor very well. It’s nothing crazy and it’s not top three level, but gets the job done. Even for very fast and explosive players. No slippage issues and you won’t need to wipe too often. The pattern is pretty dense, but surprisingly, it doesn’t clog up dust that fast and it’s pretty durable.
Still, not a great shoe for outdoors, but it would last for some time. The rubber seems to be a bit stronger than on the 2015 Crazylight’s.
SUPPORT
This is where the shoe is a bit weird. Like I said earlier, it’s a bit too roomy, EVEN if you go down half a size. It’s just not as snug as it should be. There’s some minor slippage in the heel are, but sometimes there isn’t. Support is simply a bit inconsistent. Definitely not an option for people who roll ankles often.
All that tech doesn’t really make up for a loose fit. It isn’t terrible, but it’s something you might want to get used to. Wouldn’t recommend these to very explosive/athletic players.
MATERIALS
I definitely like the material setup on these. Primeknit is awesome as usual, but then there’s mesh on the forefoot and some other areas. Everything’s stitched well, so it should last long for a Primeknit shoe. Breathability is top notch.
FINAL VERDICT
I really wanted these to be a solid upgrade from the Crazylight 2015’s, but sadly they weren’t. Still, it doesn’t mean they’re weak. They’re definitely pretty good and don’t cost much.
Comfortable, solid cushioning setup and great traction. Support is pretty weak and causes some slippage. Materials are awesome and soft upper fans will love these.
PROS
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BOOST cushion in the heel is awesome
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Traction is great and relatively durable
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Materials are light, comfortable and mobile
CONS
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Loose fit which feels weird
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Lack of support and some slippage
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Lackluster cushion in the forefoot
RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE
ADIDAS CRAZYLIGHT BOOST 2016
This is a Crazylight shoe done right. Comfort, traction, cushion, support, materials are all awesome and play nicely with each other. This is seriously one of the best shoes I’ve ever played in personally, and it’s $5 cheaper than the 2.5 Low!
Full-length BOOST cushion, SPRINTLATE and a Continental Rubber Outsole for outdoor play.
Alright, thanks for reading the review! I hope you found it helpful and maybe I helped you make a decision.
